Proof of civilisation 3,200 years ago in Tamil Nadu: Stalin
CHENNAI: There’s conclusive proof of a civilisation existing in Tamil Nadu around 3,200 years ago, state chief minister MK Stalin said on Thursday, citing scientific evidence for the same -- a finding that means a thriving city-based river valley civilisation existed in the state, coinciding with the latter half of the Indus Valley civilisation.
Stalin said that a Tamil civilisation existed 3,200 years ago along the Tamiraparani river in present-day Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts -- a finding proved by carbon dating rice found in a burial urn in a US lab.
He added that the state archaeological department would undertake excavations in neighbouring states and other countries, after taking due permission.
The civilisation link
Experts said the finding revealed the relationship between Tamil and Indus Valley civilisations. It is also certain to foster more debate on a controversial issue -the origins of the Indus Valley civilisation, especially in the context of new research released last month that claimed Dravidian languages were spoken by some in the Indus Valley.
Speaking in the state assembly, Stalin said, “Recently, we have got the test results. I am extremely happy to announce that the rice samples have yielded the date of 1,155 BCE and hence, the Tamiraparani River Civilisation (Tirunelveli region in southern TN) is 3,200 years old and this is scientifically validated.” He added that his government’s mission was to prove scientifically that the Indian subcontinent’s history should be written starting from the Tamil landscape.
Stalin revealed that recent results from carbon samples from excavations in Sivakalai (in adjacent districts of present day Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli) sent for AMS Carbon Dating Test to the Beta Analytical Laboratory in Miami, Florida, found that rice and husk discovered in an offering urn yielded the date of 1155 BCE. HT has seen a copy of the analysis that shows that the material -- rice with soil -was submitted on August 18 this year and the report was released on August 27.
For a comparative understanding, Indus civilisation, which is the earliest known in the Indian subcontinent, lasted from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. “It’s quite a revelation to the archaeological community,” Stalin said.
Previously, excavations from the Adhichanallur site in the same district showed results of 9th century BCE and Korkai being 8th century BCE.